diff --git a/webinterface.py b/webinterface.py
index 96df86730..2dfb8e64f 100644
--- a/webinterface.py
+++ b/webinterface.py
@@ -64,16 +64,19 @@ def updateAvatarImageCache(session,baseDir: str,httpPrefix: str,actor: str,avata
         try:
             print('avatar image url: '+avatarUrl)
             result=session.get(avatarUrl, headers=sessionHeaders, params=None)
-            with open(avatarImageFilename, 'wb') as f:
-                f.write(result.content)
-                print('avatar image downloaded for '+actor)
-                return avatarImageFilename.replace(baseDir+'/cache','')
+            if result.status_code<200 or result.status_code>202:
+                print('Avatar image download failed with status '+str(result.status_code))
+                # remove partial download
+                if os.path.isfile(avatarImageFilename):
+                    os.remove(avatarImageFilename)
+            else:
+                with open(avatarImageFilename, 'wb') as f:
+                    f.write(result.content)
+                    print('avatar image downloaded for '+actor)
+                    return avatarImageFilename.replace(baseDir+'/cache','')
         except Exception as e:            
             print('Failed to download avatar image: '+str(avatarUrl))
             print(e)
-        # remove partial download
-        if os.path.isfile(avatarImageFilename):
-            os.remove(avatarImageFilename)
         sessionHeaders = {'Accept': 'application/activity+json; profile="https://www.w3.org/ns/activitystreams"'}
         personJson = getJson(session,actor,sessionHeaders,None,__version__,httpPrefix,None)
         if personJson: